Nominations for the NEPOMAK UK National Executive Committee (NEC) 2019-2021 have now officially closed! Thank you to all our members who nominated for election – we have received a fantastic 32 applications for 22 committee places!

Vote in person: We will therefore be conducting our elections at 12pm on Sunday 1 December at the Cypriot Brotherhood, 1 Britannia Road, London, N12 9RU. If you are a member and wish to vote in person please do come along and bring proof of ID.

Vote by post: For members who live 100 miles outside London, it is possible to vote by post. If you would like a postal vote, please email [email protected] by Sunday 17 November, with the following information:

  • Name
  • Date of birth
  • Postal address

We will then email you a coded, confidential, ballot paper that you can fill in. You will need return the ballot paper by Sunday 24 November. Instructions about how to complete the ballot paper will be emailed to you, along with the ballot paper.

The following candidates have nominated for election to the NEPOMAK UK NEC:

Adrian Patsalos (London and South East & UK wide)
Alicia Gregorian (London and South East & UK wide)
Andrew Savvides (London and South East & UK wide)
[name removed] (London and South East & UK wide)
Carolina Mantzalos (London and South East & UK wide)
Charlotte Maria Robinson (London and South East & UK wide)
Christina Nicolaou (London and South East & UK wide)
Christina Tsangaris (London and South East & UK wide)
Constantine Andreas Alexandrou (London and South East & UK wide)
Constantine Georgiou (London and South East & UK wide)
Elle Zacharia (London and South East & UK wide)
Georgiana Taylor (London and South East & UK wide)
Gregory Demou (London and South East & UK wide)
Iliya Constantinou (London and South East & UK wide)
Louis Neophytou (London and South East & UK wide)
Maria Patronas (London and South East & UK wide)
Mary Savvides (London and South East & UK wide)
Nicholas Nicou (London and South East & UK wide)
Peter Vassila (London and South East & UK wide)
[name removed] (London and South East & UK wide)
Pietra Asprou (London and South East & UK wide)
Raphael Gregorian (London and South East & UK wide)
Stephen Kakouris (London and South East & UK wide)
Christina Athanasiou (Scotland and Ireland & UK wide)
Marianna Panteli (Scotland and Ireland & UK wide)
Despina Lazarou (UK wide)
Maria Christalla Christofi (Other UK regions & UK wide)

The following individuals have already been deemed elected unopposed to the NEC for 2019-2021:

  • NEPOMAK President: Christos Tuton
  • Manchester: George Yiakoumi
  • Birmingham: Harry Charalambous
  • Wales: Maria Lazarou
  • Nottingham: Maria Louise Christofi

The manifestos of the candidates who nominated for election are listed below (A-Z by region, then A-Z by first name):

Adrian Patsalos

London and South East & UK wide

“Having organised events with NEPOMAK since 2013 and its charismatic, inspirational and dedicated leadership, I’m now standing to be a Committee Member of this amazing organisation, to do even more.
More recently, I have got more in involved in NEPOMAK, generating hundreds of pounds profit from the three Elysee events I led, with the support of hardworking committee members and university societies. Through collaborative events like this, we’ve had successful applicants from university students both for NDCP & NCCT.
If elected on the Committee, alongside organising great nightlife events, I hope to work with other members to review the constitution, democratic and financial procedures of NEPOMAK-UK with the sole aim of making it more accessible, inclusive and straightforward.
With prior experience in governance and strategic reviews as President of the UEL Students’ Union and as the current Chair of the HR & Governance Sub-Committee of Salford Students’ Union, I am confident that I can lead such reviews for NEPOMAK-UK. The experience and knowledge obtained through these roles, can only benefit a membership-led organisation such as NEPOMAK.
Having lived in South Africa, Cyprus and the UK since 2011, I know first-hand the strength and importance of a diverse community and organisation. As the future leaders the Cypriot diaspora, we must lead by example and inspire more young UK Cypriots to get involved, continuing the legacy of our predecessors.”

Alicia Gregorian

London and South East & UK wide

“I joined NEPOMAK UK in 2016, when I was in my first year of university and honestly, it was the best decision I have ever made. I met such incredible people, laughed more than I ever have and made memories which I will never forget. NEPOMAK is such an incredible organisation which unites Cypriots all over the world. As a Cypriot Armenian, I never had the chance to explore my Cypriot side but now I’m the first to get up and dance when “Monos Mou” comes on. I became a social media coordinator in May 2018 and scheduled posts for the NEPOMAK UK Facebook page. Im constantly brain storming ideas to get the NEPOMAK word out. From there, I became a graphic designer for NEPOMAK. This past year has been so much fun designing all of the marketing collateral for events and using my creative skills to bring a modern flare to NEPOMAK.

I would truly love nothing more than to be a NEPOMAK UK committee member as I am ready to embark on a new journey with my involvement at NEPOMAK. I’d love to make a positive impact by having my say in decision making. I would support and welcome new members into the organisation as well as other committee members.”

Andrew Savvides

London and South East & UK wide

Officership nomination(s): President, Vice-President

“I am running to be President of NEPOMAK UK (or, if unsuccessful Vice President) to ensure our organisation is inclusive of all young Cypriots across the UK. This will be achieved by firstly, continuing to organise and oversee successful NEPOMAK events, both inside and outside of London. Secondly, by developing an open platform for NEPOMAK members to contribute ideas, viewpoints and feedback. Thirdly, by increasing awareness of NEPOMAK UK through social media, which I have been a strong advocate for.

Regarding events, this year I have been a key player in organising all of our successful profit-making social events, bringing in an estimated £2000 of profit to NEPOMAK UK.

I have also led the organisation of this year’s global conference, which is taking place in London this December. Over the course of the year I have successfully secured attendance of around 40 participants, ensuring representation from nearly all NEPOMAK regions, which is deemed very successful compared to other conferences. As a result of me being proactive and structured with this initiative, my team managed to secure £5000 worth of sponsorship.

The strength of NEPOMAK UK is in its people. I want to encourage and support every committee and secretariat member to have a voice and lead initiatives. I want to develop member’s time management, organisation skills and leadership skills in for them to apply not only for the benefit of NEPOMAK, but in their wider careers. Over the past 12 months, I have aided the transition of NEPOMAK UK members from solely attending events to becoming leading organisers of our big events, such as our Boat Party, Weekend Away and EC London Conference.

This year I have worked closely with our social media co-ordinator and various leads to ensure our initiatives and events are well promoted, visible and accessible to more people. For example, I have re-enforced the use and value of sponsored posts to promote both social events and the Campaigns of the National Federation attaining a combined reach of over 15,000 people. I have already started supporting and encouraging new members to contribute fresh ideas for social media and look forward to continuing to work closely with our next social media co-ordinator and others interested to collaboratively build an effective social media strategy.

If voted as your president, you can expect me to serve the committee by facilitating great ideas into great events, inspiring new and existing volunteers.”

[name removed]

London and South East & UK wide

“Having moved over to London from South Africa, NEPOMAK UK has provided me with a community, a family away from home and an opportunity to get involved in initiatives and projects that I am very passionate about. I have been helping the UK committee with various projects throughout this year and last and I am excited to now apply as an official committee member. I feel with my experience in various leadership roles back in South Africa including President of the NAHYSOSA Cape Town branch, I feel I can bring an element of experience to the committee and possibly provide new ideas, initiatives and methods that worked well in South Africa that I would love to pass on. As a member of the Global committee, I think it would be great to sit on the local branch too and be as big of a help as I can be. I also feel that I could help to increase engagement and involvement of the South African Cypriots who have moved over and who continue to move over as I feel I can be the bridge between the two. I look forward to the opportunity should I be elected!”

Carolina Mantzalos

London and South East & UK wide

Officership nomination(s): Vice-President

“Being half Spanish half Cypriot (from Famagusta) and born in London has always meant that establishing a sense of belonging was challenging. That changed when I found NEPOMAK UK. This organisation and its amazing membership finally connected the dots and made sense of my heritage and culture. It’s because of this that I am running for NEC and Vice-President of NEPOMAK UK.
Throughout the last year with NEPOMAK UK, I have helped organise the Weekend Away, coordinate the annual Santa Shoebox Campaign and have regularly contributed to the monthly newsletter. Not only has this meant feeling integrated into the organisation but has also empowered me to lead the “What is NEPOMAK?” campaign, one that I’ve already started working on with current committee members. This campaign will raise awareness of our organisation through social media and will help explain what NEPOMAK does and why, putting NEPOMAK on the map, resonating in every young Cypriot’s mind.
I have very strong experience leading youth organisations as I was Vice-President and the President at Queen Mary University of London Students’ Union for two years where I represented and led over 40,000 students. Leading the Students’ Union was no small feat, having a budget of £6 million pounds a year which I was responsible for as the Chair of the Board of Trustees. This equipped me with essential experience in working with young adults to identify our values and needs, building communities, solidarity and an understanding of the importance to always put our members first. I understand the work-life balance of young adults and I’m able to adapt the work of a voluntary organisation to cater to this. I have the experience required to establish partnerships with organisations of the community, demonstrating how we are the future leaders of the community, proudly waiving the NEPOMAK flag.
Finally, I want to change the narrative and bring more diversity into the leadership by empowering more women to run for the Executive Officer positions.
Having strong female voices, partaking in decision making would only contribute to engaging more youth within our community, especially with so many women already being involved with NEPOMAK UK. I want to set this example to other young women in NEPOMAK UK and empower them to feel part of what NEPOMAK UK could represent, further building the community and connecting even more young UK Cypriots.”

Charlotte Maria Robinson

London and South East & UK wide

“I am incredibly passionate about NEPOMAK as an organisation. Having been on two programmes run by NEPOMAK, NDCP 2017 and the first trilateral youth trip with the diasporas of Cyprus, Greece and Israel, these experiences have proved to be life changing. As an active participant of these programmes, I would like to promote these further, particularly the trilateral youth trip, having being one of the first members globally to experience this programme. The benefits of these programmes have continued to impact my life and I am consciously more active in NEPOMAK UK as a result of this.

This year I have also had the great opportunity to lead the organisation of Boat Party 2019. It was a huge success, being our biggest event this year with just under two-hundred people on board. Through this I acquired an understanding of how to refine my organisation skills, expand our social media promotional outreach, and coordinate the event logistically. Consequently, I now help to run NEPOMAK UK’s social media platforms to further promote exposure to events and bring new initiatives into fruition. It is something I would love to help develop further as someone in a marketing and events profession.

I am pleased to say that I am co-leading the upcoming Christmas Charity Quiz as well as showing my commitment to the organisation by consistently attending monthly committee meetings. I am dedicated to assisting NEPOMAK UK as this organisation has changed my life and I would like to help it change the lives of others. I believe that I can bring fresh ideas and a new energy to the committee to achieve this.”

Christina Nicolaou

London and South East & UK wide

“I would like to apply to be on the National Executive Committee for NEPOMAK UK. I used to be on the committee and have recently become re-engaged with the organisation. I was previously the NDCP coordinator and I would love to take on this role again if given the chance. It was very rewarding and I would love to have the opportunity to connect with young Cypriots around the UK again.”

Christina Tsangaris

London and South East & UK wide

“I am applying for a position on the NEPOMAK UK committee this Annual General Meeting. As a member of the committee over the last two years I have demonstrated my passion and commitment as an active member of the UK team, a Newsletter Coordinator and an engaged member of the community.

Aside from avidly attending all NEPOMAK UK events, I contribute new ideas to committee meetings and take a lead role as Newsletter Coordinator. In this role, I pride myself in helping to empower other members of the organisation with creative contributions, as well as making decisions to reshape the organisations brand values through creative content. I have done this by pushing for more exposure for LGTBQ+ Cypriots and young Cypriots in the UK in general, by giving them a platform and a voice to communicate their experiences. Not only this, I organise a diverse team monthly to contribute, and use their coordinator positions to action change. In doing so, I believe I have made the organisation more inclusive, and effectively showcased our hard work through a creative channel.

In the new term, I will be leading the NEPOMAK UK British Museum Event alongside the British High Commission. This will be an opportunity for me to lead a cultural event on a larger scale, and to celebrate our rich and diverse Cypriot culture. As a strong female member of the committee, I feel having my voice heard is important. Particularly as a female role model in a leadership position. I believe my contribution to the organisation reflects my vision; for NEPOMAK UK to showcase the best of our community, to be inclusive, to empower and to celebrate our wonderful culture.”

Constantine Andreas Alexandrou

London and South East & UK wide

Officership nomination(s): President, Vice-President

“I am rerunning for President of NEPOMAK UK and to be a member of the Executive committee. In the event that I am not re-elected as President, I also apply for Vice-President, to continue contributing from a leading role in this organisation.

I was elected as President a year ago to lead our members and continue the great work that the previous team had achieved. I am determined to continue delivering in this role and empower others to do even more. I am proud that as a committee and wider secretariat, we have done just that. Thanks to everyone’s efforts and dedication, it is evident that this year has been an incredible one for NEPOMAK UK.

With the complete change of the Executive Officers at the beginning of the year, it could have been assumed that this year would be a transitioning period for us and to expect a modest output in events. However, under my leadership of our hardworking executive and committee, we have excelled beyond all expectations in all of our activities this year; including membership, events, initiatives and socials. We have proudly organised 17 different events in 2019, equating to one-to-two separate activities per month, which is unprecedented!

Experiencing this as President has been eye-opening. I have learnt from the ins and out of every initiative NEPOMAK UK has delivered this year. Attaining this important insight into organisation and planning is critical to take into the next year. Witnessing what has been done for this year, l know how it can be done again and what we can do to make it even better next year.

The most important lesson this year has been that no one person can be attributed to our successes. This is a team effort in every aspect. By ensuring that we are inclusive, I believe that we have been able to attract as many members as possible to coordinate our events and initiatives. This is why it is of vital importance that NEPOMAK UK has a leader who is inclusive, friendly and personable, to make members feel welcome to get involved. I believe that this is one of my strongest characteristics.

Having these organisational and personable skills are absolutely key to running an organisation and these need to be channelled to all members. The best way to do this is by inspiration, and this takes commitment and passion. Being a Cypriot and fighting for our cause is, by far, one of the most important aspects of my life. I channel this passion and dedication through NEPOMAK and it is why I live and breathe this organisation every day. It is the first thing I think of in the morning and the last thing I consider at night. The continuance and expansion of NEPOMAK UK can be assured under my leadership and I want all of our members to join this cause with me, enabling them to set the agenda for the next two years, with their brilliant ideas and initiatives.”

Constantine Georgiou

London and South East & UK wide

“Joining the NEPOMAK UK committee 2017-2019 and having been selected as Cyprus Action Team Coordinator last year has had a profound change on my life!
Over the past two years, I have helped represent NEPOMAK’s interests and values through: networking events, political evenings, social and cultural events and charity schemes. I believe that all of these events have assisted with the development of both my leadership, organisational, social and communication skillsets. These are essential skills which will allow me to excel at continuing to promote NEPOMAK’s message and importance to our wider Cypriot community.
I have been the best representative for our society and have promoted what we stand for when working with the wider Cypriot community, both in the UK and internationally, such as being selected to represent NEPOMAK as a delegate at both the World Conference of Overseas Cypriots 2018 and 2019 and having attended the EC conference in New York 2018.
Being an active member of the NEPOMAK UK committee has allowed me to create new connections and to build successful relationships and friendships between NEPOMAK UK and committee members of other NEPOMAK branches.”

Elle Zacharia

London and South East & UK wide

“Three years ago, I attended my first NEPOMAK UK AGM and have been an active committee member ever since. I maintained my engagement even whilst on my year abroad in Spain, when I took on the role of Secretary of our NEPOMAK Rest of Europe branch. Now I am back in the UK I am ready to fully throw myself back into NEPOMAK life!

I am re-applying for a committee position not only because I owe a great deal to NEPOMAK in terms of my own personal development, but also believe that you only get out what you put in. I would relish the opportunity to use my experience and qualities as an existing committee member and press coordinator to help the organisation go from strength to strength as we grow to reflect a younger and changing audience.

I played a major role in the 2017 Santa Shoebox campaign which gave me my first glimpse into the incredibly important work we do in our shared role as global ambassadors; charity truly is at the heart of NEPOMAK. This year, I am a leading team member on our SSB campaign which promises to be a resounding success!

As UK Press coordinator, I play a fundamental role in communicating and distributing the work of our inspiring committee and the role has taught me key skills such as engaging with community contacts and working closely with the officers and coordinators using Slack, which are fundamental in the success of future initiatives.

I consider myself to be organised, approachable, level-headed and confident and I will continue to put my time, dedication and passion into our organisation should I be re-elected onto the committee. “

Georgiana Taylor

London and South East & UK wide

“Last December I had the privilege of being elected as a Graphic Design Coordinator, and since then, I have had the incredible opportunity of making posters and flyers to help promote Nepomak both locally and globally. Being a committee member for the past 3 years also gave me the chance to help plan events such as the successful Boat party, Mayfair club night and Santa’s Shoebox. Helping plan these from the start and seeing how amazing they’ve turned out is very rewarding.

I have decided to apply for a position on the committee again for the next couple of years. If I am voted in, I will work hard with the other committee members to introduce new ideas for events and socials, whilst promoting them to the best of my ability, to ensure that Nepomak UK will have another successful year. I am very grateful to Nepomak for helping me connect with my Cypriot roots and for introducing me to lifelong friends who I now call family, so being a committee member is a way of me giving back and showing my appreciation. I want others to experience how remarkable this organisation truly is, and I believe that becoming a member of the committee will allow me to do this.”

Gregory Demou

London and South East & UK wide

Officership nomination(s): Treasurer

“To me being a part of the national executive committee for NEPOMAK UK is like being a part of a family. Since my involvement in 2012 through our branch in Australia, it has felt like the wool has been lifted from my eyes and I am experiencing being Cypriot in a whole new light. Through the program and beyond, NEPOMAK has given me the experiences I will never forget and without sounding overly cliché, it has absolutely changed my life and I could not imagine what my life would be like now if I had never gotten involved. To be on the committee gives me the chance to grow and expand NEPOMAK along side fellow minded Cypriots who are just as passionate about it as I am. I want to reach out to more Cypriots around the UK and give them the same opportunity I was given, to experience and truly learn what being Cypriot is all about, by showing them the amazing experiences that NEPOMAK has to offer. I can’t thank NEPOMAK enough for finding me and guiding me into the young and proud Cypriot that I am today and will focus to do as much as I can to find others around the UK to become part of the NEPOMAK family

After having the privilege of being an officer for the last year, I would like to be formally nominated to renew my position of Treasurer for NEPOMAK UK. Previously being on the UK national executive committee for two years and attending NCCT 2018 I felt that I wanted to do more for NEPOMAK by being involved in the core of committee to build on everything we have accomplished so far, and that is why I put in my nomination and was elected for Treasurer last year. In the last year of taking on this position I have worked with some amazing teams (both committee and non committee) to organise successful events, which I can look back on and be proud of the work we have done and what we have accomplished. I would like to be re elected as Treasurer because I still have so much more to offer the role and love helping all the different projects in any which way I can. It has been the most amazing experience planning and structuring the last year as an officer and I would like nothing more than to take continue offering my services to the organisation and to the community alongside my fellow officers for the next term. As the year has gone by I have adapted and moulded to fit into the role and improve on what it has to offer the community and I am looking forward to driving this momentum forward to expand my efforts even further if re elected as there is always more room to grow and new ideas to implement. As Treasurer I have strived to always put what is best for the organisation first and to find new ways of managing upcoming event in the most efficient way possible. I am always looking for ways to improve and I am eager to continue building on what we have done so far with the help of the committee and fellow officers together. As an officer I am always open to helping members of NEPOMAK, whether it be professional or personal as we have become a family as well as general members of an organisation, which is why I will always do my best to ensure that we have a healthy and happy environment to work in and try make personal connection with everyone involved to be able to allow members to feel comfortable speaking to me whenever or whatever the case may be. I am excited for the new committee regardless of the outcome and am ready to give my full commitment to the year ahead.”

Iliya Constantinou

London and South East & UK wide

“I have been involved in Nepomak for over three years, since I went on NDCP in 2016. Having finished my undergraduate and now undertaking a masters I believe it is time to actively contribute to an organisation that has played an instrumental role in introducing me to global Cypriots. I am a frequent participant at the Nepomak monthly meetings and took the opportunity in September to lead on organising the weekend away. I brought fresh ideas to a project that we have run for three years, introducing a team structure that ensured that everyone was included, especially the new NDCP and NCCT participants. Furthermore we planned fun activities (cooking classes, designing your own Cypriot superhero) as well as brainstorming workshops that gained rave reviews. I believe it is important that we constantly look to how we can improve and develop our projects, if that is in the small detail (creating gift bags for the Weekend Away) or changing a whole location (for example the venue for club night) to ensure consistent and better outcomes. Working part-time for a PR company, which involves creating content for social media platforms and interacting with industry professionals, I believe I can use my creativity and communication skills to bring fresh ideas to the organisation. “

Louis Neophytou

London and South East & UK wide

“I was a Delegate at the NEPOMAK Global EC Meeting in New York in 2018, the World Conference of Overseas Cypriots in 2018 & 2019 and an NCCT participant in 2019. These were the catalyst for me to spend the next couple of years giving back to the organisation.
Despite not being on the committee, I feel I have taken a very active role over the past 2 years where I have attended virtually every if not all monthly committee meetings since 2018 (even on crutches!).
I have helped represent NEPOMAK’s interests and values through networking events, political evenings, social and cultural events and charity schemes, helping my fellow NEPOMAK members and friends any which way I can along the way.
I have also got a strong desire to run and create a stargazing event, helping to promote the good work the Cyprus Space Exploration team has done over the years representing Cyprus. I was actually asked to lead stargazing sessions during NCCT in the summer of 2019 which was really well received by a number of people.
I want to continue working for NEPOMAK’s core aims in helping promote the culture between Cypriots all around the world and cultivate healthy relations between the UK and Cyprus.
I know the value of NEPOMAK having got two years left.”

Maria Patronas

London and South East & UK wide

“Over the past year, as a member on the UK committee I have become more actively involved as the Social Media Coordinator for our UK platforms, organising and leading our Santa Shoebox 2018 Campaign and co-managing our upcoming Bouzoukia night. A position on the committee is of great importance to me as I wish to continue to offer a high level of productivity and support to the organisation by driving new projects over the upcoming years.

If re-elected onto the committee, I will look to continue to increase the level of awareness of NEPOMAK through driving new initiatives such as further socials and campaigns to promote our culture. Through the projects that I have managed so far, I have demonstrated a wide skillset as a strong organiser, communicator and negotiator with the ability to engage well with others on our committee. For example, through our Shoebox Campaign last year we raised an extensive 1200 Shoebox presents for underprivileged children in Cyprus and the number of schools which participated in relation to the previous year was almost doubled. This is an excellent example of growth and development within NEPOMAK and what we can successfully achieve collectively as a team.

Throughout leading various events, I intend to continue to develop a positive view of NEPOMAK in the eyes of the community and expand our profile to the youth population across Central and South London as well as North London.

We have run an extensive number of events over the past couple of years and there is still so much potential. A role on the committee is of great importance to me as I would like to continue to develop and voice new ideas and overall contribute to the future and direction of NEPOMAK UK.”

Mary Savvides

London and South East & UK wide

“I would like to reapply to be on the National Executive Committee for NEPOMAK UK. I have always been an active and passionate member of NEPOMAK; my three key roles I have had on my NEPOMAK journey have been UK Secretary, coordinator of Santa Shoebox 2017 and NDCP Advisor 2015. Being on the committee again, I will continue to share valuable knowledge on previous events I have coordinated, continue to support NEPOMAK events by offering free photography, continue to collaborate on projects such as Taste of Cyprus cooking series which I am currently leading on, and inspire new members of NEPOMAK to get involved and experience the same benefits I have.”

Nicholas Nicou

London and South East & UK wide

“I have been the bridge between NEPOMAK UK and Rest of Europe’s amazing collaboration in creating the end of year post-conference particularly producing a risk-proof accommodation reservation, euro star booking and working with rest of Europe committee to produce a robust itinerary which has included visiting the Cypriot embassy in Paris, which will help strengthen our links as an organisation to Europe. Furthermore, I have established contact of well-known Cypriot figures and of those who have taken interest into Cypriot culture, particularly Petros Karatsareas, Sir Stelios Hadjioannou and Mary Pyrgos, which I have come across through the Hellenic centre. My participation in events at the Hellenic centre has allowed parties to learn more about NEPOMAK as an organisation, and this will in future help establish a better networking platform which as next year’s NEC if selected will be working with the Young Professionals Coordinator to help to continue increasing our network, mentor the YP Coordinator, create business cards and also to help in organising a networking event, particularly through links with the high commission, the cultural expert and other interested parties.”

Peter Vassila

London and South East & UK wide

“Since joining NEPOMAK UK at the beginning of the year, I have consistently attended every committee meeting and open event. My initial motivation for joining NEPOMAK was so that I could get in touch with my cultural heritage. But I have been pleased to discover that this organisation is full of passionate individuals dedicated to promoting Cypriot culture. I have certainly benefitted from this. What has particularly stood out for me is the efforts made by NEPOMAK UK to engage the Cypriot youth in the discussion surrounding the Cyprus problem. I found the ‘Cyprus prospects for a solution’ event in Parliament that I was invited to attend to be very informative and truth be told, I would never had attended this prestigious event had I not seen the determination of the NEPOMAK committee members in encouraging the Cypriot youth to get involved in this all important discussion. I have contributed to helping NEPOMAK UK, I volunteered for the stall at the Cypriot Wine Festival to help promote the work of the organisation and really want to get involved in more initiatives and use my experience in the legal profession to help raise awareness for the Cyprus Issue. In short, NEPOMAK UK has far exceeded my initial expectations and I have benefitted greatly from the opportunities that have been offered to me. In return, I would like to contribute to the work that NEPOMAK UK does in order to be able to give back to the community in the same way that NEPOMAK UK has helped me throughout the last year.”

[name removed]

London and South East & UK wide

“I [name removed] wish to stand for election of the NEC, on the 1st of December.

Having served multiple years on Nahysosa’s National committee, organizing events of great magnitude, bi-yearly Hellenic Congress’s, fund raisers and the coordination of 9 affiliate Hellenic student youth bodies.

I have previously played a large part in NEPOMAK South Africa and was a NDCP participant in 2016 and an advisor in 2018.

I am hoping the assist bridge the gap between Cypriot youth of the UK and those diaspora now residing in the UK.

Having moved to the UK a year ago I see this as my opportunity to bring forth my vast experience and knowledge of youth organizations and apply it with in NEPOMAK in the UK.”

Pietra Asprou

London and South East & UK wide

“I have been a committee member of NEPOMAK UK for the past three years, in addition to my roles as UK NDCP Coordinator and a global executive committee member.
I joined the committee following my participation on NDCP in 2016 and instantly grew a passion for the organisation. After growing up in Wales, without a Cypriot community, I feel privileged to have been able to connect to my roots through NEPOMAK UK. I want to continue being on the committee to enable others who also grew up without a Cypriot community to have the same experience as me. If re-elected, I would do this by planning events outside of London, which I now feel confident enough to do following my experience in the organisation. In addition to this, as a committee member, I will continue to contribute and challenge NEPOMAK UK strategies in committee meetings to progress the growth and strength of our organisation. I will also continue to help in the planning of events, as I have done so recently for weekend away and the upcoming London EC Conference.”

Raphael Gregorian

London and South East & UK wide

“I would like to stand for election on the committee of NEPOMAK UK as I wish to continue being involved in the running of the organisation. As an ex-President, I understand the importance of NEPOMAK UK for the Cypriot diaspora in the UK and the value of its activities for young overseas Cypriots.

As a committee member I wish to engage with the various communities of Cyprus that are based in London, and ensure that as an organisation we are informed about the communities of Cyprus. I am plan to actively push for collaboration with various community organisations, such as the Armenian Youth Federation, wherein great cultural and political collaboration is possible. I believe it if fundamental to the legitimacy of NEPOMAK to be proactively engaging with the various communities, and I believe this is where my skills and experiences lie.

I would like to continue being a committee member, as I have been for the past five years, and being actively involved in the progression of the organisation as it goes from strength to strength.”

Stephen Kakouris

London and South East & UK wide

“I want to be on the NEC because I have spent my whole life moving from country to country and being part of the Cypriot Diaspora. My father is a Cypriot Diplomat and the Cyprus Issue it has been a common theme in my life. In Washington, I worked for the American Hellenic Institute for 2 years where I pushed Cypriot issues in Congress and the US State Department. I have lived in London for 4 years, have lived and worked in Cyprus and have been active in Nepomak UK since September September 2018. Most importantly, I believe in the work that Nepomak do and I want to continue to be active in this wonderful community.”

Christina Athanasiou

Scotland and Ireland & UK wide

“Living in Scotland, far away from the large Cypriot communities of North London has made it rather challenging to engage with events and initiatives by NEPOMAK.

Whilst it might be challenging, it is not impossible, especially in our era when technology enables us to be connected no matter what the distance.

I’m running to be the NEPOMAK UK committee member for Scotland, with the aspiration to connect young Cypriots here with others across the UK.

Having spent a significant time of my childhood in beautiful areas of Cyprus such as Latchi, Polis Chrysochou and Paphos, the love and interest for Cyprus has remained strong, no matter how many miles away I might be.

If elected as the NEPOMAK UK Committee member for Scotland, I will:

• Establish a collaboration between university student societies in Scotland and NEPOMAK

• Lead on organising an annual NEPOMAK social in Scotland

• Work with any Greek Schools and Churches to raise awareness of NEPOMAK and all its amazing projects, hoping to involve more UK Cypriots who live in Scotland

• Engage the Cypriot youth with online campaigns and initiatives”

Marianna Panteli

Scotland and Ireland & UK wide

“I would like to apply to be on the NEPOMAK committee to encourage more Greek Cypriots my age to connect with each other and understand their roots. Having participated on NDCP this summer I have a newly enriched love for Cyprus and understanding my roots has had such a positive impact on me, that I want to spread the word and encourage other people to do the same. Becoming involved with Cypriot communities brings all the fun of food and dancing. However, I also think it is important that given the history of our country and ongoing conflict that young British Cypriots are properly informed on the situation. NDCP gave me the chance to do this and I now feel a sense of duty to work in any small way I can to help Cyprus progress towards a more peaceful future. NEPOMAK has such an important part in educating and bringing together young Cypriots and through this we can have a powerful role in influencing the future of our homeland- I would love to be able to work with the people doing this. The Cypriot community does not feel as prominent here in Scotland but I think that makes it even more important for us to be represented and I’d like to play a role in doing this. “

Despina Lazarou

UK wide

“I have been a member of the Nepomak UK committee for the last few years and am passionate about continuing in this role. As a regional member, I believe I have contributed to engaging young Cypriots in other regions. I have been involved in the initiation and facilitation of events including Glamping, team building Weekend Aways, multiple AGM’s and the Santa Shoe box campaign. During the Weekend Aways and AGM’s, I have facilitated team building activities such as the Christmas drawing from memory challenge in Manchester and in the past two years have led cooking and baking classes at the Weekend Aways in Wales.

In 2018, I attended NCCT. This was an invaluable experience and furthered my enthusiasm to continue working collaboratively with other members to engage young Cypriots across the UK.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as a committee member and hope to gain the opportunity to further my involvement in the organisation. Particularly, I would like to continue my involvement in promoting and organising regional events and charity projects. “

Maria Christalla Christofi

Other UK regions (UK wide)

“I was a participant of NDCP 2019 and I can only say that NDCP has changed my life. Words cannot describe how amazing the trip this summer was. I have not only made memories for life, but all the participants have become like my family too. There was not one day that went by that I did not have an amazing time. NDCP helped me grow as a person by bringing out my confidence and it helped me to gain a fresh new insight about young Greek Cypriot people from all over the world. I would love to be part of the NEPOMAK family, to help enhance my Greek roots and to help spread the word throughout our young Greek community about how amazing the NEPOMAK organisation is. I have already helped to brainstorm ideas for NEPOMAK’S New Year’s Eve celebrations by researching venues and marquees and trying to find competitive quotes, highlighting how committed and involved I want to be in this organisation. I also have a lot of experience in organising charity events, and raising much needed funds. This shows that I have a flair for event planning and organising, which would be hugely beneficial for the NEPOMAK committee. I would be thrilled and honoured to be a member of the NEPOMAK committee.”